Partition structure and method of making it



April l5, 1952 F. D. BERGsTElN PARTITION STRUCTURE AND METHOD 0F'.MAKING IT Filed May 12, 1948 IN V EN TOR.

ATTOR N EYS.

atentecl pr. 15, 19.52

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PARTITION STRUCTURE lAND METHOD OF MAKING ITFrank D. Bergstein, Wyoming,` Ohio Application May 12, 1948, Serial No.26,635

1 claim. (C1. 229-42) My invention relates to the problem of-pro vidingdivider or partition structures for cartons or containers Where thepurpose is to keep articles separated therein or to provide cushioningbetween articles.

The principal object of my invention is the provision of a partitionstructure which is easily and cheaply'manufactured of paperboard, andwhich can be manufactured of paperboard by employing only theyconventional cutting and scoring presses and conventional carton foldingand gluing equipment having timed moving means `for the blanks and atimed glue printing mechanism. 1

It isan object `of the invention to provide a partition structure havingvarious forms including a form having main and cross ribs, which may bemade as a unitary article, and which may be shipped and stored inknock-down form, and

f easily erected for use.

It is an object of my invention to provide a partition structure thesize and shape of which may be widely varied without variation in theessential mode of manufacture, and a partition or divider structurewhichmay be made to provide as many cells as desired in the containerwith which itis to be used.

It is', an object of my invention to provide a divider or partitionstructure in which the ribs are all of double thickness and hence arenot only strong, but are capable of providing a cushioning eiect forfragile articles which cannot be attained with a single thickness, ofmaterial.

Itjis an object of my invention to provide a divider or partitionstructure which when erected is'` characterized, by great rigidity as'compared with those structures in which main and cross' ribs areinterengaged `by means of notches.

Theseand other objectsof my invention which will beset forth hereinafteror will be apparent to one skilled in the art 4.upon reading thesetition element in process of being erected and indicating the manner inwhich this is done.

Figure 5 is a perspective View of the completely erected partitionstructure.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of acarton containing an exemplary formof my partition structure.

Briefly in the practice of my invention I provide a partition elementwhich is in the formv of an elongated pieceoi paperboard folded over onitself. Portions of this folded element are adhered together to formspaced parts of `a longitudinal ormain rib, While other portions areleft free of attachment to each other, and are either separated orseparable along the vfolded edge of` f the structure. The structure ischaracterized by transverse score lines or fold lines upon which theparts will bend with respect ,to `each other. In setting up a partitionelement of this kind it V is only necessary to move the ends toward eachother, whereupon the free portions of the structure willvfold outwardlyto provide cross ribs,`as

will hereinafter be explained. Y My partition elements are `made in theform of paperboard blanks on the ordinary cutting and scoring press inWhich, dependent upon the size of the partition structures. the blankswill nor-` perforations, or spaced slits, as formed by a'suit-i' ableperforating rule. Each blank such as that illustrated in Figure 1 isintended for two of the divided or partition structures-which will laterbe severed from each other severance 2.v

In the several iigures dash lines indicate `.lines for severance,dot-dash lines indicate scores or,

valong the line for 1. fold lines. and solid linesindicate lines ofcut.'

specifications, `I accomplish by that procedure p of Figure 1 as it isbeing folded and glued.

'Figure 3 is a plan View illustrative of the step oi separating thestructure of Figure 2 into two complete partition formingelements. e

figure i 1S averswivevier.Showis the par- All of these lines may be`formed on the.. cutting and scoring pressby the Vuse of appropriaterules in a manner well understood.

The two.A longitudinal portions into which the I blank of Figure 1 isdivided by the linef2, are

themselves divided by medial longitudinal lines indicated at 3. I alsoprovide transverse score lines dividing the blank into a plurality ofpan- 1 els. At the top of the blank I have showna panel 4 and acorresponding panel 4a which, in

the final structure willbe gluedtogethe'r to 'form The line betweenpanels and 6 as one pair and 5a and 6a as another pair may be a cutline, but preferably, as shown in the drawing, it is a line forseverance to make the blank easier to fold. Next I provide panels 1 and1a which again are to be adhesively secured together to form a part ofthe longitudinal rib. These are followed by articulated panels 8 and 9and corresponding panels 8a and 9a, again separated from each other by acut line or line for severance as shown. At the lower end of the blank Ihave shown panels I0 and Illa which will be adhered together to formpart of the longi- 'tudinal rib.

The panels into which the other half of the blank I (lying to theopposite side of the line for severance 2) is divided will be similar.The dimensions and form of the various panels can be Widely varied. TheWidth of the several panels will determine the depth of the erectedpartition or divider structure. The length of the panels 4, 1 and i8will determine one dimension of the cells produced inasmuch as theydetermine the spacing of the cross rib portions of the divider. Thelengths of panels 5, 6, 8, 9 and their corresponding panels will all beequal When they are to be used for cross ribs, and will determine thelength of the cross rib elements and hence the other horizontaldimension of the cells produced. The elements shown in Figure 1 areuseful for the formation of divider members with two `cross ribs each.It will be understood in the light of these teachings that the parts maybe multiplied to form divider elements with any desired number of crossribs, and that the pan- -els may be dimensioned in such a way as todivide `a given box or container in any desired even number of cells.

The object of making the divider elements in duplicate as part of asingle blank is not alone that of the achievement of economy in thisway; it provides a structure which is easily folded and glued onstandard carton folding and gluing equipment.

In folding and gluing the blank of Figure 1, it will befolded along thelines 3 3, i. e.,`each outside longitudinal portion of the blank will befolded over inwardly. As a partrof this operation it is desired toadhere together the panels 4 and 4a, the panels '1 and 1a, the panels I0and Illa and their several counterparts in the right half ofthe blank ofFigure l. To accomplishV this. in the gluing operation, the blank isacted upon by a spot gluer or glue printing mechanism which will, forexample, apply adhesive asshown in dotted lines to panels 4, 7 and i8and their counterparts at the right hand side of the blank. Actually thegluing operation is not necessary to the operativeness of my. partitionstructures since they are Vfully operative and easily erected withoutit. There is, however, advantage in forming the glued structure, in thatthe partition elements remain atly. in f-oldedy tion structures in theform shown in Figure 2.v

may be shippedl to the box user leaving to him the separation of the twopartition elements fromy of said each other along the line for severance2. Or the two elements may be separated as illustrated in Figure 3before being shipped to the user.

Figure 4 is illustrative of a mode of setting up the partitionstructure. Inward pressure exerted on the two end elements in thedirection of the arrows, as on the doubled longitudinal rib portions dand l0 will result in a separation and reverse folding of the pairs ofpanels 5, 5a, 6, 5a, 8, 8a and 9, 9a as illustrated.

My divider may be used in the partially opened form shown in Figure 4where it provides a suitable and decorative divider for candy boxes andthe like. The shape of the cells can be varied by varying thelongitudinal dimensions of the foldable panels.

Another form of the completed, erected partition element is shown inFigure 5. In this figure the doubled panel elements 4, 'l and I0 havecome into juxtaposition and alignment to form 'the longitudinal rib,panels 5 and 6 are juxtaposed on one side of the longitudinal rib while5a and 6a are juxtaposed on the opposite side. -Similarly panels 8 and 9have folded together on one side and panels 8a and 9a have foldedtogether on the other. The panels 5 to 9 inclusive and theircounterparts in the structure form the cross ribs illustrated. Ifdesired the scores between the end-Wise articulated panels can beweakened by partial cuts to facilitate the folding.

Figure 6 shows this structure placed in a box ll, where it has theeffect of dividing the box up into cells of a size and number dependingupon the dimensions and configuration of the partition element as willbe understood. As has already been set forth, my partition elements .maybe so constructed as to divide a box in the direction of its length intoany desired number of pairs of cells. This provides two cells in thedirection of the width of the box. If more than this number of cells isdesired in the direction of width, it is possible and Within the vscopeof my invention to provide two or more sets of my partition elementswhich can be laid side by side in the box with a single, separatepaperboard rib laid there between.

Modifications may be made in my invention without departing from thespirit of it. Having thus described my invention in an exemplaryembodiment, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

A process of making a divisible pair of partition structures fromasingle paperboard blank which comprises providing an elongatedpaperboard blank, cutting and scoring said blank to provide alongitudinal, substantially medial line for severance, and lines ofarticulation paralleling the firstmentioned line and dividing each sideof the blank into foldable halves each having an inner and an outerpart, and transverse score lines dividing said blank into longitudinalrib forming panels and intermediate, longitudinal pairs ofpanelsfoldable with respect to each other at angles to said longitudinal ribforming panels, said lines of articulation constituting fold lines inthe areas of said rib forming panels and lines for severance in theareas intermediate, longitudinal pairs of panels, folding the outer.parts of said halves over said inner parts and adhesively securingtogether the longitudinal rib forming panels as folded together, wherebyto provide a pair of each vother'along said medial line for severanceMANI FRANK D. 10

6 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Bates Oct. 21, 1890 Brasseur Dec.20, 1910y Shapiro July 6, 1920 Davitt Dee. 13, 1938 Hintner June 22,1943

